Birmingham associate Denzel Okinedo was recently awarded the Young Lawyers Division Scholarship by the American Bar Association.

The Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is the American Bar Association’s home for new attorneys, providing tools to navigate the beginning of one’s career, opportunities to network and resources to develop skill sets. The YLD Scholarship Program represents the Division’s commitment to encourage the participation of minority, solo/small firm, government, private sector, and military service attorneys in its activities. The program’s goal is to give participants the opportunity to get involved in the work of the Division, provide opportunities for roles in leadership, and enhance each participant’s knowledge of the organization.

As part of the scholarship, participants attend three YLD meetings/conferences throughout the 2020-2021 year. Scholars will participate in class activities that are designed to strengthen and improve the Scholarship Program. The activities in these classes include writing projects, serving on the Board, Committee, or Team appointed to, implementing the diversity pipeline project, “What do Lawyers Do?” locally and at the YLD conference, and assisting on special projects. Scholars are encouraged to apply for leadership appointments for the following bar year.

Denzel is an attorney in the Birmingham office where he practices in the firm’s Financial Services Litigation Practice Group. He received his Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. At Cumberland, Denzel served as President of the Student Bar Association, as a board member of the Black Law Students Association, and as a Legal Extern for the Honorable Abdul K. Kallon. Additionally, Denzel was a member of Cumberland’s top-ranked National Trial Team and the winner of the Judge James O. Haley Federal Trial Competition.